Acid-vat.



'No. 745,24 1 PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903. T. W. RUFFNER.

' A1011) VAT.

APPLIOATION FILED IAB. 24, 1903.

NO MODEL.

[WT/v55 I IN ENTOR UNTTED STATES Patented November 24, 1963.

PATENT OFFICE.

ACID-VAT.

SPEGIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,242, dated November24, 1903.

Application filed March 24:, 1903. Serial 110.149, 301, (No model-2.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. RUFFNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Me- Keesport, in the county of Allegheny, State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAcid-Vats, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an acid-vat, and particularly to a structurein which the use of all metallic fastenings liable to be corroded in theuse of the vat is obviated.

The invention has for an object to present a structure comprisedentirely of wood or other non-corrodible material having dovetailed orinterlocking connections between the intersecting ends of the verticalwalls thereof and also at the point of connection between said walls andthe bottom timbers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionof wedge for forming part of the interlocking connection between thevertical walls and holding walls firmly to their seat.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined bytheappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan of the vat; Fig. 2, a side elevationthereof with parts in section and broken away, and Fig. 3 an endelevation with parts in section.

Like letters of referenceindicate like parts in the several figures ofthedrawings.

The letter A designates the bottom timbers of the vat, which may be ofany desired character of wood or other material not quickly affected byacid or reagent used, and between the abutting edges of these timberspackings A are disposed and seated in suitable longitudinal recessesformed in each of the adjoining timbers, said packings being preferablyof wood or similar material forforming a tight joint. The bottom'timbersA at each end of the vat are formed with a recess A of anydesaid siredconfiguration for producing an inter:

locking connection between the vertical walls of the vat. For instance,these recesses may be provided with a dovetailed wall A at one side,while a packingA is disposed in longitudinal recesses in the base ofsaid recess A I side timbers.

and in the lower edge of the vertical end walls 13. The side walls B arealso similarly seated at their lower ends in a dovetailed groove A Thelower end of the wall B is held in contact with the dovetailed wall A bymeans extend substantially half the length of the vat, so as to tightlywedge the parts together and prevent any possible escape of liquid. Thetimbers composing the side and end walls are provided-at their abuttingedges with suitable packings B similar to that described in connectionwith the bottom timbers.

Each end of the vertical end timbers Bis provided with a portion Bhaving a dovetailed wall adapted to seat in a dovetailed recess B formedin the timbers B and to be secured therein by a vertically-extendingtapering wedge-strip B fitting the opposite wall of the recess B fromthat engaged by the ends B of theend timbers, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.Each end of the side timbers B is provided with an extended end portionB adapted to I receive the doweled end 0 of bracing-strips 0, extendingfrom one wall B to the other.

For the purpose of strengthening the connection between the timbersforming the side and end walls a blind dowel may be 'nsed,if desired;and it consists of the strip D, extending downward through the recess Bformed in the timbers, and secured in position by means .of pins D. Thestrips D, in the ends B may extend through the bottom, while those inthe sides B extend only through the It will be understood that therelation of the dovetailed sockets between the side walls maybe reversedor altered, as desired, and that the packing-strips may be appliedbetween the timbers thereof in an preferred manner.

The vat formed in accordance with the foregoing construction ispractically impervious to the action of acids and other reagents andis'particularly adapted for use in pickling or cleaning metalpreliminarily to coating the same with other material, as there are nometal or corrodible parts used which would be affected by the reagent.Fu rthermore,the

wedge-strips, in connection with the interlocking edges,effectuallyprevent any leakage or loss of the liquid and present a structure whichcan be continuously used for a'greater length of time than the ordinaryvat.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An acid-vat comprising recessed bottom timbers provided with aninterlocking connection upon one side wall thereof, side and end timbersadapted to enter said recesses at their lower ends and provided upontheir inner face with an interlocking connection, holding-stripsextending within said recesses parallel to and throughout the length ofthe outer faces of the side and end timbers to be accessible foradjustment from the exterior of the vat, interlocking joints between theinner faces of side timbers and the abutting ends of the end timbers,and a removable strip extending vertically parallel to said joints uponthe outer face of the end timbers.

2. An acid-vat comprising bottom timbers provided with interlockingrecesses therein, side and end timbers adapted to enter said recesses attheir lower ends, aholding-strip extending within said recesses parallelto the side and end timbers, interlocking joints between the abuttingends of the side and end timbers, a removable strip extending parallelto said joints, extended ends upon the side timbers, and a bracing-striphaving a doweled connection with said ends.

3. An acid-vat comprising bottom timbers provided with interlockingrecesses therein, side and end timbers adapted to enter said recesses attheir lower ends, a holding-strip extending within said recessesparallel to the side and end timbers, interlocking joints between theabutting ends of the side and end timbers, a removable strip extendingparallel to said joints, extended ends upon the side timbers, abracing-strip having a doweled connection with said ends, and a blinddowel extending vertically within a recess formed in said side timbers.

4. In an acid-vat, bottom timbers having packings between the same and arecess extending about the edges of said bottom timbers having adovetailed inner wall, side and end walls composed of timbers havingintermediate packing-strips and provided at their lower ends with adovetailed inner wall to en gage that of the recess, and a strip adaptedto engage the opposite outer wall of the recess and the outer face ofthe side and end walls throughout the length thereof.

5. In an acid-vat, bottom timbers having packings between the same and arecess extending about the edges of said bottom timbers having adovetailed inner wall, side and end walls composed of timbers havingintermediate packing-strips and provided at their lower ends with adovetailed inner wall to engage that'ot the recess, a strip extendingwithin said recess and in contactwith the outer face of the timbers ofthe end walls throughout the length thereof, and wedgestrips extendingfrom opposite ends toward a central point and in contact with the outerface of the side walls throughout the length thereof.

6. In an acid-vat, bottom timbers having paekings between the same, arecess extending about the edges of said bottom timbers having adovetailed wall, side and end walls composed of timbers havingintermediate packing-strips and provided at their lower ends with adovetailed wall to engage that of the recess, a strip extending Withinsaid recess and in contact with the timbers of the end walls,wedge-strips extending from opposite ends toward a central point and incontact with the side walls, dovetailed recesses upon the inner faces ofsaid side walls, dovetailed ends upon the end walls to engage therecesses in the side walls, and tapering strips extending within therecesses in the side walls and in contact with the end walls.

7. In an acid-vat, bottom timbers having packings between the same, arecess extending about the edges of said bottom timbers having adovetailed wall, side and end walls composed of timbers havingintermediate packing-strips and provided at their lower ends with adovetailed wall to engage that of the recess, a strip extending withinsaid recess and in contact with the timbers of the end walls,wedge-strips extending from opposite ends toward a central point and incontact with the side walls, dovetailed recesses upon the inner faces ofsaid side walls, dovetailed ends upon the end walls to engage therecesses in the side walls, tapering strips extending within therecesses in the side walls and in contact with the end walls, projectingend portions to said side walls, and a bracingstrip extending betweenthe side walls and having a doweled connection with said projectingends.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS W. RUFFNER.

Witnesses:

BERT G. MoLURE, JOSEPH HENRY.

ICO

